Support for wall receptacles



I 577/ k/#Z55 Aug. 15, 195o A. G. LAMPE 2,518,912

SUPPORT FoR- WALL REcEPTAcLEs Filed Ilareh`26, 1947 Patented Aug. 15, 1950 Albert G. Lampe, Madison, Wis., assignor :to Gordon Engineering, Inc., Madison, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin,

Application March 26, 1947, '-SeriafNo. 737,275

This invention Arelates toV improvements. Vin means for supporting a receptacle in a wall, and particularly to an improved supporting member which is adapted tosupportan electricalreceptacle such asl an outlet box in position in a wall'.

zoiaims. (creia-27) Y length somewhat-greater than its width. In' its The invention also relates to thecooperative arrangement of the supporting'member with `the wall andthe receptacle.

Heretofore, it has been common practice inthe installation of a receptaclesuch asran outlet `box in a Wall openingv to holdk the receptacle in position as best can be done with one handwhile it is being attached to a-supporting member, such as a lath, by means 'of Vscrews with the other hand. Such method of installation is inherently accompanied by 'diiculties and it is the prmary object of the invention to provide a supporting member which may be. quickly and conveniently arranged to support the receptacle in position, whereby the mentioned difliculties are avoided. y

It is a further object ofthe invention to provide a holding means of the character described which is vlocated uponthe rearward sidefof the wall, whereby it is out of Lsight and out'V ofthe way after the receptacle is installed.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a holding means of the character described, which is simple and economical and contributes considerably to the facility of the installation process.

Other objects and advantages Will become apparent as the following description progresses, Which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved supporting member in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along broken line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the receptacle and the cooperating supporting means of this invention, after the receptacle has been installed in an opening in a Wall; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken along lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the supporting means of the invention consists of a bracket member, designated generally by the numeral Il), which is composed of a thin, flat, ilexible sheet material, such as a llexible metal, for example, iron, aluminum, copper, Zinc, or the like.

While, the bracket IIJ may be of any desired shape, in the preferred form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 it is generally rectangular and has a iinal position upon the kwall it is arranged with its' length extending vertically. It consists of a plate 4in the general form of a frame or 'border t2 whichsurrounds a 'relatively large `opening i4, said opening vbeing of a size and shape such that it is Aadapted to 'accommodate an outlet box or any other :desired receptacle. A pair of elongated exible iingersV I6 projects inwardly from the edge of each of theY two opposite longer side portions of the border l2, said fingers being pref- .erably arranged in staggered relation such `that they do not overlap.

If desired, each ofA the -shorter side 'portions of the border V'I2 may be provided with a pair of relativelysmallv openings therein which are' preferably nished with an'ges 22 whereby they areadapted to make threaded engagement with ascrew. I

In connection with the installation of a receptacle, a portion'of awall is shown at 26 inl Figs. 3, 4, and 5. An opening 28 is cut'into the wall 26st the desired location of the receptacle, said opening being smaller than` the bracket Il)A lbut of a size suchthat the bracket is adapted to be passed through it.A That is, the longer dimension of the opening 28, which is its vertical dimension, is somewhat greater than the shorter dimension of the bracket I0, which is the horizontal dimension of the latter, in the position in which the same is shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

After the opening 23 is formed, the conductors (not shown) which it is desired to connect to the outlet or to a xture are brought out of the opening and passed through the opening I4 in the bracket I0. The bracket Il] is then passed through the opening 28 while its longer dimension is disposed horizontally. When it is rearward of the wall 26, it is turned until its long dimension extends vertically and it is substantially in the position shown in Fig. 3. In this position, the opening i4 of the bracket I0 is in register with the wall opening 28. The bracket is drawn forwardly until the broad surface of the border I2 rests against the rearward surface of wall 26, and the ngers I6- are then bent forwardly and outwardly in such manner that they rest against the forward surface of the wall and secure the bracket temporarily in place.

The conductors are then connected and arranged as described in the receptacle 30 which is shown as being an outlet box of the ordinary open-mouth type. The outlet box is inserted into the aligned openings I4 and 28 and between the opposite pairs of fingers I6. The outlet box of wall 26 and are folded inwardly and back- Y wardly over the forward edges of the outlet box 30 as is most clearly shown in Fig. 4. During 'i this folding operation, the flanges 32 of the outlet box are held in pressure contact against the forward surface of the wall26 and the border l2 is held in pressure contact with the rearward surface of the wall 26,` iingers I6 support the outlet box firmly in position, and further support` is unnecessary. If desired, however, the outlet box fianges 32 may each beprovided with one'or more'openings 34, and the openings in the bracket .l0 mayv be so positioned that they are in alignment with the'openings 3.4'when the parts arev in proper po sition, as shown in Fig. 3. Openings-36may be provided in the wall 26 in alignment with the beforementioned openings, and screws"38 Amay be passed through the openings. 34 and 36. fand screwed into the openings 20 of the bracket l0 to draw the partstogether into a rigidassen'ibly..

As is apparent from the foregoing description', the bracket Ill isa simple means for fholding an outlet box in position, and servesto facilitate the installation process. Itavoids the'. dicult and awkward task of holding the outletbox by hand at the same time that the installing. operations are carried out. In addition, it avoids the necessity for screwing supporting screws ,directly `into the'material of the wall, which is the common practice heretofore.

While the bracket I0 is shown as having two iingers I6 extending from each of the opposite longer sides thereof, the number upon eachside is not critical and one or more may be provided In this manner, the

as desired. The arrangement, also, may be different from that shown and described. For example, fingers may be provided upon the shorter sides instead of, or in addition to, upon the longer sides.

What is claimed is:

1. A bracketfor supporting a receptacle in a wall opening, comprising a flat frame of a size adapted to pass endwise through said wall opening and be turned to engage the rearward surface of said r-wall surrounding said opening, said frame having an opening therein adapted to accommodate la receptacle located in said wall openin'g'and bearing against the forward surface of said walLsaidf frame having flexible fingers projecting `from `portions thereof surrounding said frame opening, said lingers being bendable to engage said receptacle and hold said receptacle in position against saidfforward wall surface.

Y. 2.-'A bracket for supporting a receptacle in a wall opening, comprising va flat frame of a size adapted topass endwise through said wall opening .andbe turned. to engage the rearward surfacev of said wall surrounding said opening, said frame having an opening therein adapted to accommodate an open-mouthed receptacle located mouth forward in said wall opening and bearing against the forward surfacev of saidfwall, said frame having exible fingers projecting from portions thereof surrounding saidframe opening, said iingers being foldable around the forward edges of said open-mouthed 'receptacle to hold said receptacle in position against said forward Wall surface. i

.1y ALBERT G.. LAMPE.

REFERENCES CITEDVH Y The following references are of'record in the file of this patent: 1 d

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,518,912 Augst 15, 1950 ALBERT G. LAMPE It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 2, line 51, for the Word described read desired;

and that the seid Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 5th day of December, A. D. 1950.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

